See pictures of the visit on Flickr. The images may be used freely if credited.

Democratisation and media freedom on the agenda

“The Polish President raised such topics as energy policy, the fact that many Polish citizens live in Norway, and the Polish desire to strengthen NATO’s presence in Poland because of developments in Russia,” says Olemic Thommessen, President of the Storting (Norway’s parliament).

“One issue I brought up was the setback to freedom of the press in Poland, where the status of pubic media appears to be under pressure, and I asked for his comment on that,” says Thommessen. “I also encouraged the Polish President to ensure that Poland remains a constructive contributor to the Council of Europe and its discussions on freedom of expression.”

An important partner

Andrzej Duda’s visit to the Storting is part of the Polish President’s state visit to Norway from 23 to 25 May. The purpose of the state visit is to highlight and strengthen the excellent and varied cooperation that exists between Norway and Poland. Poland is an important ally of Norway through NATO, and is also a major trading partner. In addition, Poles constitute the largest immigrant group living in Norway.

During the meeting, Thommessen pointed out that Norway and Poland have long historical traditions, and that Poland is a large country of great consequence to our region. The good bilateral cooperation is complemented by Poland’s role as a significant partner for all of the Nordic and Baltic countries.